Rogue J. Kahn Rogue is a mutant. More so than most, Rogue considers her powers a curse: she involuntarily absorbs and sometimes also removes the memories, physical strength, and superpowers of anyone she touches.
"I can't escape what I am... there's nothin' you or anyone else can do."
Rogue's Theme Song from X-Men Evolution
Rogue using her Super Power in X-Men vs Street Fighter
More information and history en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(comics)
Chapter 4 - The Self and Interaction
Impression Management ( Pages 107 - 109 ) - "The effort to control the impressions we make on others so that they form a desired view of us and the situation; the use of self-presentation and performance tactics."
Rogue's ability has always been a curse to her rather than a gift. When everyone who touched her lost allot of their strength, or all of it, she began trying her best not to touch anyone. Rogue believed that by keeping others from touching her skin she could create the image of herself in which she isn't dangerous. This became the reason why her costume covers every bit of skin on her aside from her head. After employing this tactic, she started fitting in more with other mutants. They no longer feared that a monster who was out to take their life was amongst them. As everyone around her became more calm, she knew she had achieved the self she wanted to make, and also found more ease while around others. By doing this Rogue had successfully fabricated her own image, one in which makes others believe she can control her volatile power. When in reality, one single touch was all it took to break this image, and Rogue had no way of preventing that if the situation had occurred.
Chapter 6 - Deviance
Structural Strain Theory ( Page 157 ) - "... [A]n individual's position in the social structure will affect his [or her] experience of deviance and conformity."
In the X-Men universe, there are two forms of society. That which the humans live, and where the mutants live. They both abide by their own rules and principles, and as such have their own sets of norms as well as taboos. Rogue, being a mutant who steals the life force of others at touch, finds it difficult to place herself in either society. For both would never accept her dangerous nature fully. Even the Mutant Academy, a place of which accepts all born with the special gifts of mutant powers, rejected her indirectly. Being of different status from everyone else, Rogue is often found roaming aimlessly on her own, trying to find a way of coexisting that works for her. Some might call her a rebel, but she wishes to become an innovator, one who agrees with the goals given by their society, but has to use different means of achieving them. It is her goal to find the means that other mutants will accept without pause. Wolverine tries to show her that she's not a monster by intentionally touching her whenever she starts to doubt herself. His regenerative ability allows him much more resistance to her draining power, thus renewing her hope that there may indeed be a way for her to coexist with society, she just has to find it.
Chapter 8 - Race and Ethnicity as Lived Experience
Passing ( Page(s) 225 - 226 ) - "... [L]iving as if one is a member of a different racial category..."
Mutants have always been treated as different from other humans, and as such must pass when among the human societies. Rogue is no exception, and to make matters worse, her power can't be used without harming someone. This leads other mutants to avoid her, aside from a select few. Wanting to be accepted as a good mutant like the rest at the academy, Rogue refrains from touching others and passes herself off as not dangerous. While some mutants have already witnessed, or even experienced, her power, and are already aware of her "race" as a dangerous mutant, those that are unaware treat her as they would anyone else due to her ability to remain at a distance from them. If however, another mutant were to touch her and discover what she was, she would no longer be able to pass as a harmless mutant. When a mutants power is their race in this way, one could say they determine a mutant by how much danger their power could cause. The more dangerous, the more they're avoided, and vice versa. Rouge wants to not be treated as a dangerous one, and will continue to pass herself off as such by wearing gloves, keeping a safe distance, and only using her power when it's absolutely necessary. There are other mutants who employ similar tactics, such as Cyclops, who wears sunglasses to protect his never-ending beam of destructive light that emits from his eyes. Most of these kinds of mutants have gained respect and confidence in their ability to keep their powers under control. Even if Rogue attains such respect and confidence in her ability to not use her power by accident, however, she will still need to pass by wearing gloves, just as Cyclops does in wearing shades.
Chapter 10 - The Macro-Micro Link in Social Institutions: Politics, Education, and Religion
Unchurched Spirituality ( Page 310 ) - "... [S]eeking guidance and fulfillment through nontraditional means..."
For the X-Men, there are two religions (or sets of beliefs) they may follow, good or bad. They follow the base principles of survival, and treat each other as others who are also struggling to survive. Most choose between the good mutants, or the bad mutants, both equally striving to maintain their mutant existence. Where Rogue is concerned, she understands these trends and chooses to side with the good mutants. However, she cannot simply say she's a good mutant. After all, every time she uses her ability, she harms another, but even worse, she takes away their ability to defend themselves. Rogue falls under neither good nor bad, however, it's better to think of her as a combination of what makes a good mutant, and what makes a bad one. This personalized set of morals may be why she has difficulty relating to other mutants who have taken to good or bad entirely. Another reason she has difficulty falling under either category is her reluctance to fully open up to others. Having harmed those close to her in the past, she finds it easier to just seclude herself from the world and avoid making too many friends. This seclusion leads her to spending less time learning the morals of good or bad, and more time reflecting on her own mix of the two. Even though she's one of few mutants who refrain from fully committing themselves to a community, she still upholds many of their standards and beliefs.
Chapter 5 - Separate and Together: Life in Groups
Separate from Groups: Anomie ( Page(s) 129 - 131 ) "... [T]erm used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds..."
Rogue has never settled with the norms of any group. Even fighting for the good guys, she uses non-traditional methods by harming her allies so that she may use their abilities. Regardless of how accepted she is, she'll never be able to fall into a single group. Gambit is the only mutant to fully accept her nature without reservation, which forms a dyad between them. This small social bond, being Rogue's only one, makes her feel less attached to other mutants, and more prone to absorb their powers without guilt. After dealing with these circumstances for so long, Rogue's come to see the world in a different way from most mutants. Where most would fight together, combining their powers, Rogue would take all of their abilities and use them together as one. This very method of combat further separates her from the rest. Being unable to fight alongside her peers without rendering at least one of them weak, however, also creates an atmosphere where other mutants might distance themselves as far from her as she does them. Gambit must serve as an example as to the attitude other mutants will have to adapt before Rogue is able to form strong social ties with others.
J. Kahn
Rogue is a mutant. More so than most, Rogue considers her powers a curse: she involuntarily absorbs and sometimes also removes the memories, physical strength, and superpowers of anyone she touches.
"I can't escape what I am... there's nothin' you or anyone else can do."
Rogue's Theme Song from X-Men Evolution
Rogue using her Super Power in X-Men vs Street Fighter
More information and history
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(comics)
Chapter 4 - The Self and Interaction
Impression Management ( Pages 107 - 109 ) - "The effort to control the impressions we make on others so that they form a desired view of us and the situation; the use of self-presentation and performance tactics."
Rogue's ability has always been a curse to her rather than a gift. When everyone who touched her lost allot of their strength, or all of it, she began trying her best not to touch anyone. Rogue believed that by keeping others from touching her skin she could create the image of herself in which she isn't dangerous. This became the reason why her costume covers every bit of skin on her aside from her head. After employing this tactic, she started fitting in more with other mutants. They no longer feared that a monster who was out to take their life was amongst them. As everyone around her became more calm, she knew she had achieved the self she wanted to make, and also found more ease while around others. By doing this Rogue had successfully fabricated her own image, one in which makes others believe she can control her volatile power. When in reality, one single touch was all it took to break this image, and Rogue had no way of preventing that if the situation had occurred.
Chapter 6 - Deviance
Structural Strain Theory ( Page 157 ) - "... [A]n individual's position in the social structure will affect his [or her] experience of deviance and conformity."
In the X-Men universe, there are two forms of society. That which the humans live, and where the mutants live. They both abide by their own rules and principles, and as such have their own sets of norms as well as taboos. Rogue, being a mutant who steals the life force of others at touch, finds it difficult to place herself in either society. For both would never accept her dangerous nature fully. Even the Mutant Academy, a place of which accepts all born with the special gifts of mutant powers, rejected her indirectly. Being of different status from everyone else, Rogue is often found roaming aimlessly on her own, trying to find a way of coexisting that works for her. Some might call her a rebel, but she wishes to become an innovator, one who agrees with the goals given by their society, but has to use different means of achieving them. It is her goal to find the means that other mutants will accept without pause. Wolverine tries to show her that she's not a monster by intentionally touching her whenever she starts to doubt herself. His regenerative ability allows him much more resistance to her draining power, thus renewing her hope that there may indeed be a way for her to coexist with society, she just has to find it.
Chapter 8 - Race and Ethnicity as Lived Experience
Passing ( Page(s) 225 - 226 ) - "... [L]iving as if one is a member of a different racial category..."
Mutants have always been treated as different from other humans, and as such must pass when among the human societies. Rogue is no exception, and to make matters worse, her power can't be used without harming someone. This leads other mutants to avoid her, aside from a select few. Wanting to be accepted as a good mutant like the rest at the academy, Rogue refrains from touching others and passes herself off as not dangerous. While some mutants have already witnessed, or even experienced, her power, and are already aware of her "race" as a dangerous mutant, those that are unaware treat her as they would anyone else due to her ability to remain at a distance from them. If however, another mutant were to touch her and discover what she was, she would no longer be able to pass as a harmless mutant. When a mutants power is their race in this way, one could say they determine a mutant by how much danger their power could cause. The more dangerous, the more they're avoided, and vice versa. Rouge wants to not be treated as a dangerous one, and will continue to pass herself off as such by wearing gloves, keeping a safe distance, and only using her power when it's absolutely necessary. There are other mutants who employ similar tactics, such as Cyclops, who wears sunglasses to protect his never-ending beam of destructive light that emits from his eyes. Most of these kinds of mutants have gained respect and confidence in their ability to keep their powers under control. Even if Rogue attains such respect and confidence in her ability to not use her power by accident, however, she will still need to pass by wearing gloves, just as Cyclops does in wearing shades.
Chapter 10 - The Macro-Micro Link in Social Institutions: Politics, Education, and Religion
Unchurched Spirituality ( Page 310 ) - "... [S]eeking guidance and fulfillment through nontraditional means..."
For the X-Men, there are two religions (or sets of beliefs) they may follow, good or bad. They follow the base principles of survival, and treat each other as others who are also struggling to survive. Most choose between the good mutants, or the bad mutants, both equally striving to maintain their mutant existence. Where Rogue is concerned, she understands these trends and chooses to side with the good mutants. However, she cannot simply say she's a good mutant. After all, every time she uses her ability, she harms another, but even worse, she takes away their ability to defend themselves. Rogue falls under neither good nor bad, however, it's better to think of her as a combination of what makes a good mutant, and what makes a bad one. This personalized set of morals may be why she has difficulty relating to other mutants who have taken to good or bad entirely. Another reason she has difficulty falling under either category is her reluctance to fully open up to others. Having harmed those close to her in the past, she finds it easier to just seclude herself from the world and avoid making too many friends. This seclusion leads her to spending less time learning the morals of good or bad, and more time reflecting on her own mix of the two. Even though she's one of few mutants who refrain from fully committing themselves to a community, she still upholds many of their standards and beliefs.
Chapter 5 - Separate and Together: Life in Groups
Separate from Groups: Anomie ( Page(s) 129 - 131 )
"... [T]erm used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds..."
Rogue has never settled with the norms of any group. Even fighting for the good guys, she uses non-traditional methods by harming her allies so that she may use their abilities. Regardless of how accepted she is, she'll never be able to fall into a single group. Gambit is the only mutant to fully accept her nature without reservation, which forms a dyad between them. This small social bond, being Rogue's only one, makes her feel less attached to other mutants, and more prone to absorb their powers without guilt. After dealing with these circumstances for so long, Rogue's come to see the world in a different way from most mutants. Where most would fight together, combining their powers, Rogue would take all of their abilities and use them together as one. This very method of combat further separates her from the rest. Being unable to fight alongside her peers without rendering at least one of them weak, however, also creates an atmosphere where other mutants might distance themselves as far from her as she does them.
Gambit must serve as an example as to the attitude other mutants will have to adapt before Rogue is able to form strong social ties with others.
ROGUE